Song: In The Rain

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Marinette skidded to a stop in front of the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Composing herself, she opened the door to the bakery which made the bells above jingle. Sabine looked up from behind the counter.

"Marinette dear, you home already?"

"Yes maman. I'm going up into my room. okay?" Marinette answered breathlessly.

Sabine hummed in response but stopped abruptly. She then eyed her daughter's disheveled state.

"Marinette, dear, if I remember correctly, you were not carrying an umbrella when you left the bakery. So how do you have one right now?" Sabine asked, while pointing at the black umbrella in Marinette's hand.

Marinette could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and she knew she was bushing like crazy. She struggled to find an excuse but under her mother's watchful eye, decided to tell the truth. Half truth actually.

"Oh, the umbrella? I-I was standing under a park tree for cover when a friend who was passing by saw me and lent me theirs."

Sabine was eyeing Marinette with such a knowing look that she was certain that Sabine somehow knew the truth and was looking right through her. Well that's the thing about mothers.

She let out a chuckle and shook her head, getting engrossed in her work again. Marinette took it as her cue to leave and made her way up to her bedroom. She took staggering steps due to the heavy packages and getting the shock of her life.

Setting aside the bags, she let her bottled up panic flow. Falling with thump on her lounge she then began hyperventilating.

"Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh  Ohmi-"

"Marinette!" Tikki interrupted. "What happened?" she asked, concerned for her holder.

"Chat Noir happened!" Marinette exclaimed.

Tikki gave light giggles and then settled herself at her chosen's knee. Meanwhile Marinette glared at her small pink kwami.

"What?" Tikki asked defensively.

"You knew!" Marinette shrieked.

"Knew what Marinette?", Tikki asked confused.

"That Adrien is Chat Noir!"

Tikki's widened eyes gave her the answer she needed. She then proceed to hyperventilate again.

"Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh!!!! Does this mean that I flung Adrien all across the city of Paris. H-He flirts with me! M-Marinette! Oh my god! That also means that I had my first k-kiss with him!! A-And I ditched his rooftop date offer for him! Oh I am so stupid! Ohmi-"

"MARINETTE!" Tikki yelled. The bluenette looked at her with wide eyes. Tikki shook her head and continued. "Marinette, stop freaking out. Take deep breaths and try to calm down.", she advised.

"Tikki, how do you expect me to calm down? I just discovered that the love of my life is also my partner in fighting crime. H-He flirts with me and tries to ask me out but I reject him every time for him. That he is in love with me! That I had been so stupid to not realize that it was him!"

"Oh this is a disaster. I always make a fool of myself in front of him. How in the world am I going to face him at school tomorrow or even at the attacks? Ughhh.." Marinette's muffled voice whined. Tikki knew that her holder was in shock right now so she let her be.

Eventually Marinette's chanting and groaning died down to be replaced by slight snores. She had fallen into a slumber.

Sabine did come up to check in on her daughter and to call her for dinner but seeing her peacefully asleep she let her be. She knew that her daughter was have had some though nights though she didn't know the reason. She kissed her forehead lightly and tucked her in. Leaving a note for a possible late night dinner, she went down through the trap door.

The next morning, the robotic beeps of the alarm stirred some movements underneath the pink covers. Marinette groggily opened her eyes, only to hit the snooze button. Flopping back down, it took her a while to remember why she was feeling so nervous and anxious. That is when the memories of yesterday played in front of her like a film. Taking a pillow, she put in on her face, as if trying to block it out.

Tikki swished near her and tried to wake her up. Marinette responded with vague phrases of "I don't wanna go to school" and hums. Tikki have had enough. This girl was going to get herself in trouble again.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Wake up now or you will be late for school."

"But I don't wanna go. I will see him and only god knows what I would do when I do face him.!"

"Marinette, stop being such a pessimist. You are Ladybug for god's sake! The superheroine of Paris! If you can beat akumas' ass, then you can do anything!"

"Exactly Tikki. I'm Ladybug. And that means Adrien's in love with me!"

"Should't you be happy about it? Isn't it what you wanted?"

"I don't know what I'm feeling Tikki, except knowing that I'm experiencing an existential crisis right now!"

Tikki had enough now. Coming back with a glass full of water, she emptied the contents on her holder. Marinette jerked awake and glared at her kwami, who just shrugged in response. Realizing that there was no use stalling now, she started getting ready for school.

As she made her way outside the bakery, her mother stopped her to give her a packet of freshly baked croissants.

"What is this for?"

"These are for Adrien."

"Why?"

"As a thank you for lending you his umbrella yesterday."

Sabine chuckled as Marinette stood there flustered and red as a tomato. "MOM!" she finally managed to get out as Sabine winked and made her way to the kitchen, laughing.

Huffing, she dug out two croissants and began eating one incredulously, holding out the other for Tikki to take.

"Aren't those for Adrien?"

"I can't give it to him! Can I? He gave me the umbrella as Chat, not Adrien!"

"So you are not going to tell him?"

"Not yet. But soon."

She reached the school only to see Adrien and Nino taking outside. She walked up the steps but being the klutz she was, stumbled and fell backwards. Luckily, Adrien's reflexes saved her.

She got up from his embrace, flushing red, while Adrien looked at her concerned.

"You okay Marinette?"

Marinette frowned at him. 'How does he do that? No puns? No flirting? No silliness?' she thought.

Nino's concern bought her back to earth.

"Y-Yes. I-I should get to class. Okbye." and with this she dashed away leaving behind a confused Adrien.

"Did I do something Nino? Why was she frowning?"

Nino just shrugged, muttering something along the lines of 'girls'.

The entire day Adrien felt like he was being intensely stared at. He knew he should've been used to this as he was a mode and all but this didn't feel like an adoring stare, it felt like a glare. From the corner of his eyes, he located the source to this was his princess, Marinette.

Unable to understand what he did to earn glares from her, he decided to seek answers after school.

Meanwhile Marinette was glaring at Adrien today when she saw him act so gentlemanly. Seeing him like this and then thinking of Chat Noir made her want to roll her eyes at him. Nevertheless, it made her realize that she loved both the sides of this boy in front of her but it never stopped her shooting looks at him when she saw him being so calm and composed as Adrien and being a sightly egoistic mess as Chat Noir. She was vaguely aware that this might've made Adrien uncomfortable.

After school, all she wanted to do was rush home and work on a plan to tell Adrien. Bidding Alya and Nino a goodbye, she started making her way towards the bakery, when a certain someone's voice stopped her.

"Hey Marinette! Wait! Could I maybe, talk to you?"

Marinette took a deep breath as she turned to face the situation she so dearly wanted to avoid. Flashing a cheery grin at him, she motioned him to continue.

He came closer to her, his green eyes filled with concern. She stared at him intently and mentally scolded herself for the millionth time for not being able to see the similarities.

"Did I do something to make you upset Marinette?"

"Huh?" was all she was able to speak as she was snapped out of her trance.

Adrien narrowed his eyes and then took a deep breath. "Look if I did something wrong, please tell me. I don't want to lose a friend like you."

A silence ensued.

"I can't believe that someone was capable of doing this." was not what she wanted to say after the silence. She quickly realized her mistake and tried to cover it up. "Y-You now. I-I mean. I-It's late, I should probably head home."

She ran away, patting herself on the back for making the situation worse. Note the sarcasm.

Meanwhile, a hurt Adrien made his way to the limo, the weather reflecting his emotions once again.

**********

Ladybug and Chat Noir fist bumped as they defeated an akuma. The akuma was really tough to defeat and it had exhausted both of them.

Chat seemed down and Ladybug just so happened to know why. The lack of puns and flirting made her realize how much she enjoyed it in reality.

"What's wrong kitty?" she asked. Chat just shook his head in response. The superheroine frowned at the leather clad superhero.

"I know you more than you think Chat Noir. Please tell me what is bothering you."

Chat opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the beeps of their miraculous.

"Will you meet me tonight at the Eiffel Tower, please?" He asked.

Ladybug smiled and nodded.Chat was surprised that she had agreed to meet him. He was almost certain that she wouldn't. Kissing her hand, he took his leave, leaving behind a blushing Ladybug.

********************

Dinner was all done and it was bedtime for the normal people of Paris. But for Marinette, it was the time to meet her Chaton. It was chilly and gloomy outside. Wrapping a blanket around herself, she stood on her balcony, admiring the view. The rumbling in the skies indicated that it might rain anytime.

She didn't want to leave the warmth of her house but she had a promise to keep. Grabbing the packet of freshly baked croissants that she had sneaked up, she transformed into Ladybug. Today was the day that she would tell him. She decided to take with her the umbrella that Adrien gave her on the first day back. All set, she took off into the night and landed at the tower.

Chat was already there, looking at the city. Ladybug sat next to him, keeping aside the things. Chat's drooping ears and no flirtatious welcome indicated that he was still sad.

Ladybug put a comforting hand on his shoulder. He relaxed against her touch.

"Now would you tell me what's wrong kitty?"she asked gently.

He sighed. " Hm. There is this girl at my school. She is upset with me for something that I don't remember doing. I'm afraid that I would lose her presence from my life. She is too important for that but I don't know how to stop that. Her friendship is too precious to me."

Ladybug's heart warmed as well as prickled with guilt at his heartfelt confession. She engulfed him in a bear hug. Suddenly the rain descended from the sky, engulfing the city of love once again in the downpour.

"Looks like we might be needing it after all." Ladybug said, opening the umbrella. Chat's eyes wandered from her smiling face to the umbrella in her hand. He held her hand and she didn't withdraw. This surprised him.

Something caught his eye. On the rim of the handle, clearly shining were the words that he least expected there to be, 'Emilie Agreste.'

It was his mother's umbrella that he gave to Marinette. So how did Ladybug possess it?

"H-How do you have this?"

"Oh, this? My friend, Adrien Agreste gave it to me."

The familiarity that those bluebell eyes and midnight hair carried painted the image of his shy classmate. Staring at the umbrella, he put the pieces together of this puzzle.

Finally understanding what was happening, he started to speak but only a name came out.

"Marinette."

"Adrien."

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Yo guyz! Only one more part remains. Then I will be working on another story.

Check out my other book 'The Fallen Ladybug' as well. The above illustration by moi. School is starting tomorrow so updates might be slow. If you want a particular fanfiction to be written you can tell me by PMing me or leaving it in the comments. I will mention your name.

If you want to make its cover, be my guest!

SOOOOOO

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And bleuebelebleue is out

BAII ~